Fabric air cargo container doors having improved fastening system

Abstract

A fabric closure for the open end of an air cargo container having a fabric door and a fastening system for connecting the opposed side edges of the fabric door to couplings attached to the container. The fastening system includes at least one fabric pocket, a protective strip attached to the outer surface of the pocket, and a connecting strap for being secured around a respective coupling. The connecting strap passes through the fabric pocket and is engaged with a hook and loop fastener portion on the protective strip.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fabric closure for the open end of an air cargo container of the type having a plurality of side walls, a bottom, a top, and at least one open end, each of the side walls adjacent to the open end contain a plurality of couplings affixed thereto, the fabric closure comprising:
 a fabric door having top and bottom edges and opposed side edges; and 
 a fastening system for at least connecting the opposed side edges of the fabric door to the couplings, the fastening system comprising: 
 
       at least one fabric pocket affixed to an exterior surface of the fabric door, at least an outer surface of the pocket having a first hook and loop fastener portion;
 a protective strip attached to the outer surface of the pocket, wherein the protective strip includes opposed first and second sides, the first side having a second hook and loop fastener portion, and the second side having a third hook and loop fastener portion, wherein the first hook and loop fastener portion is engaged with the second hook and loop fastener portion; and 
 a connecting strap for being secured around a respective one of the plurality of couplings, wherein the connecting strap passes through the fabric pocket and is engaged with the third hook and loop fastener portion on the second side of the protective strip. 
 
     
     
       2. The fabric closure according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second hook and loop fastener portions includes hooks having a mushroom shape and configured for high strength fastening and less than one-hundred use cycles. 
     
     
       3. The fabric closure according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second hook and loop fastener portions includes a region without exposed hooks or loops to facilitate selective separation of the first hook and loop fastener portion from the second hook and loop fastener portion. 
     
     
       4. The fabric closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and third hook and loop fastener portions both comprise loop material. 
     
     
       5. The fabric closure according to  claim 4 , wherein the second hook and loop fastener portion comprises mushroom shaped hooks. 
     
     
       6. The fabric closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the fabric pocket includes at least one fourth hook and loop fastener portion affixed to an inner surface thereof. 
     
     
       7. The fabric closure according to  claim 6  wherein the protective strip wraps around the ends of the pocket such that the second hook and loop fastener portion engages with the at least one fourth hook and loop fastener portion within the pocket. 
     
     
       8. The fabric closure according to  claim 6 , wherein the strap is engaged with the at least one fourth hook and loop fastener portion affixed to the inner surface of the pocket. 
     
     
       9. The fabric closure according to  claim 6 , wherein the first, third, and fourth hook and loop fastener portions each comprise loop material. 
     
     
       10. A cargo container, comprising:
 a plurality of side walls, a bottom, a top, and at least one open end, each of the side walls that is adjacent to the open end has a plurality of couplings affixed thereto; and 
 a fabric closure removably attached to the cargo container to close the open end, the fabric closure comprising:
 a fabric door having top and bottom edges and opposed side edges; and 
 a fastening system for at least connecting the opposed side edges to the couplings, the fastening system comprising:
 a fabric pocket affixed to an exterior surface of the fabric door, at least an outer surface of the pocket having a first hook and loop fastener portion; 
 a protective strip attached to the outer surface of the pocket, wherein the protective strip includes opposed first and second sides, the first side having a second hook and loop fastener portion, and the second side having a third hook and loop fastener portion, wherein the first hook and loop fastener portion is engaged with the second hook and loop fastener portion; and 
 a connecting strap for being secured around a respective one of the plurality of couplings, wherein the connecting strap passes through the fabric pocket and is engaged with the third hook and loop fastener portion on the second side of the protective strip. 
 
 
 
     
     
       11. The cargo container according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second hook and loop fastener portions includes hooks having a mushroom shape and configured for high strength fastening and less than one-hundred use cycles. 
     
     
       12. The cargo container according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first and second hook and loop fastener portions includes a region without exposed hooks or loops to facilitate selective separation of the first hook and loop fastener portion from the second hook and loop fastener portion. 
     
     
       13. The cargo container according to  claim 10 , wherein the first and third hook and loop fastener portions both comprise loop material. 
     
     
       14. The cargo container according to  claim 10 , wherein the second hook and loop fastener portion comprises mushroom shaped hooks. 
     
     
       15. The cargo container according to  claim 10 , wherein the fabric pocket includes at least one fourth hook and loop fastener portion affixed to an inner surface thereof. 
     
     
       16. The cargo container according to  claim 15 , wherein the protective strip wraps around the ends of the pocket such that the second hook and loop fastener portion engages with the at least one fourth hook and loop fastener portion within the pocket. 
     
     
       17. The cargo container according to  claim 15 , wherein the strap is engaged with the at least one fourth hook and loop fastener portion affixed to the inner surface of the pocket. 
     
     
       18. The cargo container according to  claim 15 , wherein the first, third, and fourth hook and loop fastener portions each comprise loop material. 
     
     
       19. A method of maintaining a fabric closure for the open end of an air cargo container of the type having a plurality of side walls, a bottom, a top, and at least one open end, each of the side walls adjacent to the open end contain a plurality of couplings affixed thereto, the fabric closure comprising: a fabric door having top and bottom edges and opposed side edges; a fastening system for at least connecting the opposed side edges to the couplings, the fastening system comprising: a fabric pocket affixed to an exterior surface of the fabric door, at least an outer surface of the pocket having a first hook and loop fastener portion; a protective strip attached to the outer surface of the pocket, wherein the protective strip includes opposed first and second sides, the first side having a second hook and loop fastener portion, and the second side having a third hook and loop fastener portion, wherein the first hook and loop fastener portion is engaged with the second hook and loop fastener portion; and a connecting strap for being secured around a respective one of the plurality of couplings, wherein the connecting strap passes through the fabric pocket and is engaged with the third hook and loop fastener portion on the second side of the protective strip, the method comprising:
 replacing the strap after a first number of use cycles of the fabric closure; and 
 replacing the protective strip after a second number of use cycles of the fabric closure, wherein the second number of use cycles is at least ten times the first number of use cycles. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein replacing the strap comprises:
 removing a first strap from within the pocket; and 
 inserting a second strap through the pocket. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19 , wherein replacing the protective strip comprises:
 removing the strap from within the pocket; 
 disengaging the second hook and loop fastener portion from the first hook and loop fastener portion to remove the protective strip from the pocket; and 
 attaching a new protective strip to the first hook and loop fastener portion.